Report: Jeep CEO still adament about a pickup in the future

The last time Jeep produced a pickup truck was in the 1980s and early 1990s. The Jeep Comanche was a pickup that was based off of the original and successful Jeep Cherokee. However, because of its slow sales and offerings from corporate partners Chrysler and Dodge (the Ram), Jeep axed the Comanche in 1992.

Over the years though, Jeep had introduced several concepts that echoed a Jeep pickup truck. But none of them took production form. All in all, their various concepts represented that Jeep has continually showed interest in producing a pickup truck.

This past week at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Jeep’s CEO Mike Manley had further expressed that Jeep is still dedicated to making a pickup.

“If we were doing something like that, for it to be monetized properly, we’d likely partner it with another, equally appropriate, platform,” Manley said during Jeep’s press conference at the auto show while standing next to a Wrangler-based Gladiator pickup concept.

“I wouldn’t want to come to market with anything that wasn’t Jeep capable, no matter where we’d sell it,” Manley continued.

Though, much like the issue with the Comanche, Jeep’s corporate parents Chrysler and Dodge still have the much more established Ram lineup and when asked the question as to whether a Jeep pickup could clash with the Ram, Manley replied: “No matter what we do, it will have to play to our Jeep strengths and be different than anything Ram would do.”

So either way, Jeep wants to do a pickup but of course, as many have discovered through automobile history companies who offer similar products under different names don’t always go so well. Regardless, it would be interesting to see what Jeep comes up with, especially with Manley noting that the Wrangler is pegged for a full redesign in 2014.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: PickupTrucks.com